One dead, father and son rescued after yacht capsizes off Queensland coast
By Cameron Atfield
A sailor’s body was found on Sunday afternoon and a father and son were winched to safety in the morning when their yacht capsized about 85 kilometres off the coast of Bundaberg.
A Queensland Police spokesperson said the body of a 65-year-old Yeppoon man was recovered from the water about 2pm after the yacht capsized about four nautical miles south of Lady Elliot Island.
Three people were on board the yacht, which was sailing from Yeppoon to Brisbane.
The police spokesperson said the father, 62, and his 27-year-old son remained in a stable condition at Bundaberg Hospital.
An RACQ LifeFlight Rescue spokeswoman said the pair were able to climb onto the upturned hull and set off an emergency positioning beacon.
That alerted the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which deployed the Bundaberg-based helicopter shortly before 8.30am.
The capsized yacht from which the men were rescued off Bundaberg on Sunday. Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue
Just after 10.15am, the aeromedical crew had found the men and performed two winch rescues near Lady Elliot Island.
“It’s believed the keel snapped on the boat the men were on, causing it to overturn,” the spokeswoman said.
Both men were flown to Bundaberg Hospital for observation.